Anker USB C to 2.5 Gbps Ethernet Adapter Review

I recently upgraded a segment of my home network to 2.5 GB ethernet.  I keep a huge folder on my laptop called “Archive” that has basically every manual for everything I own in it.  Also there’s other junk in there too.  It’s huge, and it takes forever to back up.  In the interest of backing everything up quicker once every week or so I decided to get a 2.5GB ethernet dongle to move those files to my snazzy 2.5GB NAS.  After a bit of research I settled on the Anker USB C to 2.5 Gbps Ethernet Adapter.

Anchor Arms

Sorry.  Every time I see the word “Anker” my mind wanders to the SpongeBob episode where he bought inflatable Anchor Arms.  The goal was to get ripped like Larry Lobster.

And such as it is with me and my network.  I’m trying to get ripped backing up that huge folder quickly somehow or another.

Continue reading →

Netgear MS108EUP Review

And Simple VLAN Setup

2.5GB Netgear MS108EUP Router

I just built a new firewall appliance that has four 2.5GB speed ports.  I attached it to a Mikrotek hap ax³ router which also has a 2.5GB port on it.  Then I added in a QNAP NAS which also has a 2.5GB port on it.  To hook them all up together I needed a fast switch and I settled on the Netgear MS108EUP.

You can find hardware with 2.5GP ports on it pretty easy.  But you know what is hard to find?  A 2.5GB network switch that doesn’t cost an arm and a leg.  Somehow or another hardware vendors are making devices with 2.5GB speeds.  Sadly there really aren’t that many switches out there to support the speed..  They went right from 1GB to 10 GB and skipped right over the middle ground.

And while you might be able to find some $100 switches, finding one that is Managed (Smart) is quite a bit trickier.  A managed switch is one that can do other tasks such as Virtual LAN’s (VLAN) among a lot of other tricks.   A VLAN can be used to segregate certain aspects of a network such as the establishment of a Guest Network that can’t communicate with the primary network.   Or keeping HR away from the Operations Department.   You get the drift.
Continue reading →

Mikrotik Router hap ax³ Mini Review

Mikrotek hap ax3

I’m a sucker for a challenge.  I spent the last week or so shifting from a pfSense firewall to an OPNsense firewall appliance.  Since I was on a networking kick I decided to try my hand with a new Mikrotik Router.  The Mikrotik hap ax³.

Mikrotik has a reputation for making highly configurable routers but they also have a higher degree of difficultly in that configuration.   Setting a router up for the first time can be a bit intimidating if you have never seen anything like this before.

One of the best things about this router is the price.  Go to BestBuy or Walmart and the so called Top Of The Line gear costs 3x’s as much as this router.  I’m not kidding either.  So called “Fast” or “Gaming” routers cost from $300 up to the moon.  These routers are probably not as good or as fast and for sure not as secure as the hap ax³ at $139.

The average home networking user has NOT ever seen anything like this before.  The reason I call this a Mini-Review is because there is just too many steps to document in setting one of these things up.  In fact I won’t talk much about configuration at all.

Rather I will point you to the resources I used to get where I got.   I should also mention that my router is configured as a wifi access point and is located behind an OPNsense firewall on a VLAN port.  My whole point was to make a guest network that cannot communicate with my primary network.   And I have succeeded in that endeavor.

Continue reading →

pfSense vs OPNsense

I don’t think most people give home network security much thought.  Essentially you buy internet from a provider who gives you a modem of some sort.  Then you attach a wifi router to it that you bought from Walmart or Target or even worse, one that the internet provider gives you.  There is only one real way to have any semblance of home network security, and that is to have a hardware firewall.  In this blog I’ll be discussing pfSense vs OPNsense.  Both are free operating systems based on FreeBSD Unix.  Don’t let that scare you though.

Anyway, your Walmart router sits on the shelf near the TV and never gets updated.  Not that it would matter anyway because its security is roughly as porous as Swiss Cheese.  If you don’t believe me take a few minutes to peruse routersecurity.org.  If you dig around that site a bit you might even see my name there in a place or two!

Full Disclosure

Some years ago I discovered hardware firewalls and have not looked back since.  Before i get started here I need to make some clarifying statements.  Firewalls are not bulletproof.  And the success of them depends a lot on them being configured correctly.   Configuring both pfSense or OPNsense requires some level of geekiness and a bit of research to give yourself some modest amount of security.  Even if you are a network security specialist, there are people out there or nation states capable of getting inside your network.
Continue reading →